Nov. 30, 2022
Contact: Uriah Orland, 573-882-6212, uriah.orland@missouri.edu
WHAT:
University of Missouri will dedicate a basketball court at MizzouRec in honor of Ron Lykins, University of Missouri and Team USA Wheelchair Basketball Coach.
Lykins is the winningest coach in international competitions in United States Wheelchair Basketball history, earning 12 gold medals and five silver medals. He is the only coach in Paralympic history to lead both men and women’s teams to gold. In the 2016 and 2020 Paralympic Games, he led the U.S. men’s team to back-to-back gold and also led the American women to consecutive gold medals in 2004 and 2008. Lykins retired from Team USA in 2021.
Lykins has coached at Mizzou since 2009. In his initial season, he led the Tigers to their first winning season in program history. Under his leadership the team has won nine Mizzou Wheelchair Basketball Classics and has finished six times in the top five at the National Intercollegiate Wheelchair Basketball Tournament, including a third-place finish in 2014. In November 2022, he was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.
WHEN:
Approximately 6:15 p.m., Friday, Dec. 2
The ceremony will occur immediately following the Mizzou vs. Arizona wheelchair basketball game. Media are invited to cover the game, which starts at 5 p.m., in addition to the ceremony.
WHERE:
MizzouRec
1000 Rollins St.
Columbia, Missouri 65203
Media should enter through the north entrance on Rollins Street. Parking is available in the Virginia Avenue Parking Structure.
**Media interested in attending should contact Sheena Rice at ricesm@missouri.edu or 406-490-9777.
